Bhubaneswar: In a significant move to position the state as a medical technology (med-tech) manufacturing hub, Odisha-based think-tank FIDR released its national White Paper, ‘The Medical Device Industry in India’s New Era’, during the first-ever roundtable discussion held in Bhubaneswar.
This event signifies a major leap towards realising the state’s industrial ambitions under the broader ‘Make in India/Odisha’ framework and aligns comprehensibly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Purvodaya Strategy & ‘Act East Policy’ and Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s vision of Viksit Odisha by 2047.
FIDR, the Odisha headquartered global think tank, is advocating for Odisha’s strategic role in the national MedTech revolution but also reinforcing the state’s industrial self-reliance, fostering innovation, and supporting domestic manufacturing.
Director Siddhant Vernekar and Program Head Kananbala Patnaik anchored the RoundTable discussions with inputs from all the participants.
The RoundTable witnessed participation of officials from Health and Industries departments, med-tech majors including Transasia Bio Medicals Ltd, Economists, AIIMS, civil society organisations, academia, startups and the media.
The joint participation underscores the government’s resolve to bolster Odisha’s healthcare sector and Medical Technology sector specifically, the organisers said.
The discussion centered around building an ecosystem that reduces India’s reliance on imported medical devices, stimulates domestic innovation, and positions Odisha as a key hub for MedTech manufacturing.
With the central government’s vision for a Viksit Bharat and Odisha’s own industrial roadmap, the event was a confluence of public-private efforts to establish the state as a global player in MedTech.
The report of the RoundTable with recommendations will be submitted to CM Majhi, Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling and Secretaries to help prepare a blue print and expedite development of med-tech in the state.